his only momentum when he chose paul ryan and seemed ready to engage on the big stuff, medicare, kbiemthmentes, but he has retreated to the small and safe. when you're behind, safe is fatal. even his counterpunching has gone miniature. >> this reminds me a little bit of the mccain campaign back in 2008 in those days at the end when you felt like the campaign was grasping at every new ornament that it found on the tree. it's being distracted. one week it seems to be libya. the next day it's medicare. the next day it's whether the president has said something about a bump in the road. and i think the voters, it's very confusing to have these very short-term responses in the romney campaign. of course every campaign has to have a rapid response. but usually that should augment what is the overall strategy. it shouldn't become the strategy. and at the moment it seems like they are trying to win each news cycle rather than win the election. >> they have been chasing news cycles. and in virginia, he talked about defense cuts. that's what direct mail is for. that's not for your candidate to do that.